This invention relates to liquid applicators of the type in which bristles are used to spread the liquid, such as for example fingernail polish applicators.
In one class of brush liquid applicator, referred to as flow-through brush liquid applicators, the liquid flows through the bristles of a brush that may be used to spread the liquid. In this type of liquid applicator, the outlet from a container for the liquid is partly closed by the bristles of a small brush but there is sufficient space provided so that liquid may flow from the container and wet the bristles of the brush as the liquid is applied to a surface by the brush. A prior art type of applicator of this class utilizes a staple through the bristles to fasten them into the outlet of the container. This prior art flow-through applicator has the disadvantage of being relatively expensive to prepare and not entirely suitable for automated mass production.
It is also known to sell relatively small bottled quantities of substances such as automobile paint for covering scratches and the like. Also, breakable containers are known such as those that would be used for small quantities of medication. Small bottles with integrally-assembled applicators such as bottles of finger nail polish with a brush on the ends have been sold and are prior art.
Some of the low volume prior art containers with applicators have a disadvantage in that the liquid in them tends to dry and become clogged before they can be used. This is particularly true where a sufficient quantity is provided for repeated use but the user only sporadically uses the liquid over periods of time such as the case with an automobile owner touching up scratches on an automobile or a user of correction fluid to correct typographical errors in typing or the like. While disposable small quantity containers have been used for medication, this usage has not been extended since it has been conceived of as a control on the amount of medication that a patient could take. Such containers do not contain an applicator since the contents are intended to be swallowed.
Some applicators such as those for correction fluid have a dome shaped tip including openings through which the fluid flows. Prior art applicators of this type have a disadvantage in that the openings tend to become blocked with dried fluid.